Cling-peach-pitting machine.



E. NYSWONGER.

GLING PEAGH FITTING MAGHIN APPLICATION FILED 0GT.25, 1911.

mtented Dot. 29,1Q12.

'3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

INVENTOR E. NYSWONGER. GLING PEACH FITTING 'ZQAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 25, 1911.

Lm fi fin Patented ()0t.29,1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

VITNESSES I Altornqy E. NYSWONGER,

CLING PEACH FITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OGT. 25, 1911.

Patented 0st. 29, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 INVENTOR 1565 (ismmzlrci' J. 1

nrrn SKATES ELIJAH NYSWONGER, F HANFORD, CALIF-Q'Elfllx.

CLING'r-PEACH-PITTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

(let. 2%. 133

Application filed October 25, 1911. Serial No.

of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cling-Peachlitting Machines. of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates in general to fruit stoning or pitting devices. and more particularly to an improved machine which is particularly designed for the splitting and pitting of peaches.

The object ot the invention is to provide a peach pitting machine which will operate in a quick and eti'cctive manner to split the peaches and remove the stones therefrom without unnecessarily mutilating the fruit.

A :l'urthcr object of the invention to provide a pcachpitting machine which is practically continuous in its operation and by means ot which large quantities of peaches or similar fruit can be pitted in a comparatively short period of time.

still further object of the invention is to provide a pitting machine which comprises comparativelv tow and durable parts such as are not liable to get out. of repair. which can be driven with a small amount of power. and which is positive in its UPtltll'lOIl.

Yllll these and other objects in view. the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements ot' the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds. the novel features thereot' being pointed out in the appcrnlcd claims.

For a. full uinlerstamling oi the invention. reference is to be had to the Following description and accompanying drawings. in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a peach pitting machine constructed in acct'irdance with the invention. portions being broken away and shown in section. Fig. is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 an enlarged side elevation of the knife carrving frame upon which the pitting knives are mounted. portions being broken awa and shown in section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional View through the knife carrying frame. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical seetional view through the machine on the line of Fig. l.

the line 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an en- Referring to the drawing and reliable Fig. (l is a similar view on' larged horizonta T-7 or" 5. .s an enlarged lozr gitudinal vertical sectional view through. one end of the peach tray, an W 9 a transverse sectional View on the. l e 9-4) of Fig. Corresponding and l to in the following eated in all the views of same reference characters.

on the l e designates the main frat ranged in a substantially horino tion and is shown as supported by or posts 2.

The top or" the formed with longitudinal sills f.

arranged upon oppo. e sides chine and have a and tion to each otl: r. transve' is journaled within a suiilile b i k i at. each c i of the frame l, at each oi. these transverse shafts is provided with a ot pulleys or wheels 6. Fnoless belts 7 pass around corresponding pulleys (3 upon th shafts 4. the upper reaches of the said end less belts being received between the sills The two endless belts 7 are connected at regular intervals by transverse slats 8, each of the said slats being formed with. an outwardly projecting longitudinal rib 9 having one of the faces thereof inclined or beveled while the opposite fa e is arranged atsubstantially rightang es to the slat. 'lhese transverse slats are conveniently formed of sheet metal. in which instance the ribs 9 can be pressed outwardly therefrom. as indicated more clearly upon Fig. 8 of the drawings.

The endless belts 7 and slats form a. carrier upon which fruit carrying t'ays it are adapted to be placed. trays 10 extend downwardly below the bottom of the said trays to form the flanges 11 which are suitably notched as at 12 toreceive the ribs 9 of the slots 8. It will thus be obvious that when one of these trays is placed upon the upper reach of the endless carrier, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the tray will be advanced with the carrier. Each of the trays 10 is provided with a series of transversely arranged supporting i blades 13. the said supporting blades being The sides of these i to and longitudinal the notched. portions l3 so as to intersect 2 5S assist in re peaches against dis-- .re 5 may be pro" vide suitable 1 pieces such indict "or con in handling and .Qhese trays constia elements and may be con any do .dinp; upon .ou" ted upon tor handling even of the each of the v with and being: accordirgig adapted rec peac dually disposed drive 18 id oi the main iirnrne, up; journale'd within 19 at the upper end of a standard hin the bearings 21 at the top of One end of the drive a pulley 23 adapt i suitable source, the drive shaft is it will crank handle 3%. us be obvious that the machine either be driven manually or by some suitable en: give or motor.

lit a point adjacent the pulley 23 the shaft 18 is provided with an eccentric gagged by a split ring or cc- 26, the so :l eccentric strap l t therefrom, and ..ed by e knuckle 'inpg u}')wardly arm 31.. T he clearly in which diverge 'l arin being con 28 to a lever p upon e. 55

dord 2 3, shown l'llLL'Fj r'" spaced n'ieinhcrs .n the widtheir lower The from a pivot cs to ring lever 31 is .1; connectin the opposite halves oi. 'hc standard. 20. :11 vith the foregoing conructiorn it will be obvious that so the shaft .rr listed the eccentric will operate l the various connecting elements to the lever ll buck and forth. The lower end oi, the lover ill connected to s yolqe i533. opposite ones of the yoke being provided. with psvls 3 which rest loosely upon the respective col '2' oi? the endless carrier. lpon the forward movement of the awls they slip over the be "cd or in clincd be 9 projecting from the slots -Col of the said ribs upon t. urn movement the endless carrier or pc ndent 5 .ruit tray thereon are odvanc An ii'nicrinito5 tent or st p by step mow 'sills 3 and guide strips Z) al 3*, end

inez seo imparted to the endless carrier and fruit tray as the shaft 18 is rotated, the different parts being so proportioned that the various bringthe supporting blades 13 successively under the pitting knives which are mounted upon the frame 22. The two pawl members 3% are adapted to ope "ate upon opposits sides of: the tray and the noses thereof are received between the adjacent which are spaced from the inner faces of the sills. These guide strips have portions thereof bent in weirdly and secured to the sills, as indicated the tray 10 is received between the guide strips so as to be held against lateral movement thereby.

For the purpose of enabling the stroke of the swinging lever 31 to be regulated, the lever 29 is shown as adjustably connected he the lug or projection 30. The pin 35 by means of which the lever 29 is secured to the lug 30 may be placed in engagement with any selected one of a series of openings 35, the said lever 29 being held rigidly in position bynieans of an adjustable brace 3'7. By moving the pivot pin inwardly toward the lever 31 the stroke of the lever can be decreased, While in a reverse manner by moving the pivot pin outwardly away from the said lever the stroke thereof can be increased.

'l he frame 22 is formed with spaced side pieces which project vertically upward from the respective sills 3. each of the side pieces being formed upon the inner face thereof with a vertical groove or guides y 38 ithin which a reciprocating knilc carrying frame 39 is mounted. This knife carrying frame comprises a pair of side pieces 39 which are connected at their upper end by a transverse bolt 39 and at the lower end by a blade so. A. sleeve 39 is fitted upon the bolt 39" between the sides 39 sol as to hold the said sides in a properly spaced position. The blade l0 corresponds to the positioning blades 13 of the fruit trays and is adapted to codperate with the said blades to split the peach into two halves. l lotches ll are termed in the lower edge of the blade l0 and register'with thcnotchcs 1.4 of the positioning blades 13 when the knife earl-yr ing frame is moved downward to bring the blade 40 into engagement with the blade 13.

The upper edge of the reciprocating blade 40 is shown as reinforced by a strip 42.

The two sides 39 of the frame 3.) are formed upon their inner faces with the vertical grooves l receiving the slides eel which are connected by a cross bar 45, the said cross her having the middle portion thereof connected by a pit/man 4:6 to a crank portion 18 of the shall; 18. Each of the slides i l is coi'mcrlctl by links 47 be the bars 48 upon which the pit-ting knives 49.1mm mounted. 'lhcsc bars es are each provided at the opposite ends thereof with a pair of longitudinally projecting pins 50 received within cam slots ]v formed in plates 52 which are rigidly connected to the side pieces of the frame 39 at the lower ends thereof. A pair of the cam slots 51 is formed upon each side of each of the plates, the said cam slots on plates diverging downopposite sides? of the wardly. he pitting knives lt) are secured to outwardly curved portions 48 of the bars and are transversely curved and provided with rounded and sharpened noses which project downwardly below the bars. The corresponding pitting knives upon the two bars 4-8 are adapted to cooperate with each other, and are directed in their movements by the action of the cam slots 51 upon the. pins 50.

As has been previously explained. when the machine in operation and the drive shaft. 18 is rotated. an intermittent or step by step moven'ient' is imparted to the endless carrier whereby the blades 13 of the fruit carrying trays are brought successively under the reciprocating splitting blade 40. The crank portion 18 of the shaft 18 also operates through the"-pitman to impart a reciproating up and down movement to the knife carrying frame 39. Upon the upward movement of the pitman 46 the 4-4 first moved upwardly inde endently of the frame. 39, the upward movement of the said slides operating through the links -17 to draw the knife -arrying bars -lS up until the pins 50 engage the upper ends of the slots iii in the am plates 5:2. The pitting knives 4-5) are thereby moved upwardly and separated so as to have a spaced relation to each other. .\s soon as the pins 50 engage the upper ends of the slots 51 the frame 39 is raised. the endless carrier being sinmltaneously advanced one step so as to bring the next positioning blade 13 of the tray under the reciprocating blade 40. Upon the downward movement of the pitman it; the frame 3! is lowered so as to bring the blade 40 in engagement with the pcsitioning blade 13 and thereby split the peach. As soon as the downward movement of the knife carrying frame 2-.9 is thereby checked. the slides 44 are forced downwardly independently of the frame PM so as to force the knife carrying bars l8 downwardly. As these knife carr .'ing bars more downwardly the pins .50 travel within the cam slots 51 and di ect the motion of the pitting blades These pitting blades are forced downwardly into the peach on oppo- Site sides of the pit and the noses of the said blades are then turned inwardly toward ea h other and brought together under the pit so as to completely sever the pit from the remainder of the.pcach. 'lhe peaches upon the positioning blade 13 are thereby both split in half and pitted. and upon the upward movement of the. knife carrying frame 39 the endless carrier and peach carrying tray are again advanced forward one s ep so as to bring the peaches upon the next blade 1 in position to be pitted. It. is contemplated to employ a number of the trays l0 and to run the same successively through the machine. one or more operators being provided for placing the peaches upon the trays. while another ope 'ator will manage the machine and run the trays through the same.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is:-

1. In a fruit pitting machine. the combination of a positioning blade adapted to have fruit placed thereon. a reciprocating frame movable toward and away from the positioning blade, a blade upon the recipro rating frame adapted to cooperate with the positioning blade to split the fruit into halves. pitting knives movably mounted upon the reciprocat ng frame on opposite sides of the. blade. means for advancing the pitting knives into the fruit independently of the blade after the blade has reached the limit of its movement. and mains for directing the movement of. the pitting knives whereby they penetrate the fruit. on opposite sides of the, pit and are brought to gether under the pit.

2. ln a fruit pitting machine, the combination of a positioning blade adapted to have fruit placed thereon. a reciprocating frame movable toward and away from the positioning blade. :1 blade upon the recipro caling frame adapted to cotipe "ate with the positioning blade t9 split the fruit into halves. pitting knives movablv mounted upon the rta-iprocatiug frame on opposite sides of the blade. means for advancing the pitting knives into the fruit independently of the blade al'ter the re iprocating frame has reached the limit of its movement and come to rest. and cam means for directing the movement. of the. pitting knives whereby they penetrate the fruit on opposite sides of the. pit and are brought together under the pit.

3. in a fruitpitting machine. the combination of av notched positioning blade adapted to have fruit placed thereon with the pil thereof in the notch. a reciprocating t'ramc movable toward and away from the positioning blade. a notched blade upon the re- (l1)l.'t -ating l'ramc adapted to coopcrat with the positioning blade to split the. trlutinto halves. the. notches ol the. two blades forming a clearance spacetor the pit of the lruit.- pitting knives movably mounted on the reciprocating frame on opposite sides of the frame. means for advancing the pitting knives into the fruit "independently of the blade; and cam means for directing the ltlO niounted upon the movement of the pitting knives whereby they travel around the pit in a curved path.

l. in a fruit pitting machine, the combination of a fruit supporting element, a reciprocating frame adapted to be moved to ivard and away from the fruit supporting element. a pan." of cooperating )itting knives movably mounted upon the frame, a slide reciprocating frame, an operative connection between the slide and the pitting knives, means for operating the slide and the reciprocating frame, the slid moving inde iendent-ly of the frame after the frame rpaehes the limit of its movement, and cam means for directing the movement of the pitting knives and causing them to enter the fruit on opposite sides of I the pitand travel in a curved path around the pit.

in a fruit pitting machine. the combination of a fruit supporting element. a reciprocating frame movable toward and away from the fruit supporting element, cooperating blades upon the fruit simporting element and reciprocating frame for split ting, the fruit into halves, a pair of pitting, knives movably mounted upon the reciproeating frame, means for operating the reciprocating frame'and advancing the pitting knives into the fruit, and cam means for directing the movement of the pitting knives and causing them to enter the fruit on opposite sides of the pit and travel around the pit in a curved path.

6. in a fruit pitting machine, the combi nation of' a notched positioning blade adapted to have fruit placed thereon. a reciproeating frame movable toward and away from the positioning blade, a notched blade upon the reciprocating frame adapted to cooperate with the positioning: blade to split the fruit into halves, the notches of the two blades forming a clearance space for the pit of the fruit, a pair of cooperating pitting knives mounted upon the reciprocating fran'ie on opposite sides of the blade, a slide upon the reciprocatina t'ranic. an operative connection between the slide and the pitting knives, means for operating the slide and rt ciprocating frame. the slide moving independently of the reciprocating frame when the reciprocating frame reaches the limit of its movement. and the independent move ment. of the slide causing the pitting; knives to be advanced into the fruit. and ram means for directing the movcn'ient of the pitting knives whereby they penetrate the fruit on opposite sides of the pit and travel around the pit in a curved path.

7. in a fruit pitting machine. the combination of a positioning; blade provided a ilh a fruit engaging notch. supporting means fin-the positioning blade. a recipro ating: frame, 1 blade upon the reciprocating l'ran'ie adapted to cooperate with the positioning blade and splitthe fruitinto halves and provided with a notch adapted to register with the notch of the positioning blade to pro vide a clearance opening for the pit, plates formed with cam slots, knife carrying bars arranged upon opposite sides of the blade end provided With pins loosely received within the cam slots, pitting kijiives project 'ing from the knife carrying bars, a slide mounted upon the reciprocating frame, connecting means between the slide and the knife carrying bars, and means for reciprocating the slide to actuate the reciprocating frame and the pitting knives, the re ciproeaiing frame being moved with the slide after the pins of the knife carrying bars reach the ends of the slots and the movement of the pins Within the slots upon the downward movement of the knife carrying bars serving to direct the pitting knives so that they penetrate the fruit on opposite sides of the pit and are brought under the pit.

8. in a fruit pitting machine, the nation of a support, a reciprocating frame, a blade carried. by the reciprocating frame, fruit carrying means movably mounted upon the support and provided with a series of fruit positioning blades, means for intermit-' tently advancing the fruit carrying, means to bring the various positioning blades successively into cooperative relation to the blade of the rt-zclprocating frame, pittingknives movably mounted upon the reciprocating frame and arranged upon opposite sides of the blade, means for causing the pitting knives to penetrate the fruit when the blade of the reciprocating frame is moved into engagement with the fruit, and means for directing the movements of the pit ting knives whereby they penetrate the fruit on opposite sides of the pit and are brought together at the end of the pit.

In a fruit pitting machine, the combnation of a support, a movable carrier upon the support, a tray adapted to be placed upon the movable carrier and provided With fruit positioning means. a reciprocating frame, means for operating the reciprocat inn frame and imparting an intermittent movement to the movable carrier whereby the fruit positioning means upon the tray are brought successively opposite the reciprocating frame, and means upon the reciprocating frame for cotiperation with the fruit positioning: means to cut the fruit into halves and remove the pit therefrom, the car ier being at rest when the cutting means of the reciprocating" frame is in operation.

10. In a fruit pitting ma time, the combination of a support, a movable carrier mounted upon the support and formed with .bcvcied projections, a tray removably apcombil plied to the movable carrier and constructed applied to the reciprocating. frame and to interlock therewith, fruit positioning means upon the tray, pawls adapted to engage'the beveled projections upon the movable carrier for imparting a step by step movement thereto, means for actuating the pawls, a reciprocating frame, means for operating the reciprocating frame, the said positioning means ofthe tray being brought successively opposite the reciprocating frame, and means upon the reciprocating frame for cooperation with the fruit positioning means of the tray to split the fruit into halves and remove the pit therefrom, the carrier being at rest when the pitting means of the recip rocating frame is in operation.

11. In a fruit pitting machine, the combination of a support, an endless carrier mounted upon the support and formed with transverse-ribs having one side thereof beveled, a tray adapted to be removably applied to the endless carrier and provided at the bottom thereof with notched flanges adapted to engage the said ribs, fruitpositioning means upon the tray, a drive shaft, a reciprocating frame, an operative connection be tween the reciprocating frame and the drive shaft, pawls adapted to engage the beveled ribs of the endless carrier to impart a step by step movement thereto and bring the fruit positioning means of the tray successively opposite the reciprocating frame, an opera- I tire connection between the drive shaft and the pawls, and means upon the reciprocating frame for cooperation with the positioning means of the tray to cut the fruit. into halves and remove the pit therefrom.

12. In a fruit pitting machine, the combination of a support, a movable carrier upon the support, a tray adapted to be removahly applied to the carrier and provided with po-' sitioning blades adapted to have fruit placed thereon, a reciprocating frame mounted upon the support and movable toward and away from the carrier, a blade upon the reciprocating frame adapted to cooperate with the positioning blades of the tray to splitthe fruit into halves, pitting knives mounted upon the reciprocating frame, a drive shaft, an operative connection between the drive shaft and the reciprocating frame and pitting knives, and means actuatedby the drive shaft for imparting a step by step movement to the movable carrier whereby the positioning blades of the tray are brought'successively into inoperative relation with the blade of the reciprocating frame, the carrierbeing at rest when the pitting means is in operation. 1 4

13. In a fruit pitting machine, the combination of a fruitsupporting element, a re ciproeating frame adapted to be moved toward and away from the fruit supporting element, plates applied to the reciprocating frame and formed with cam slots, cooperating pitting knives projecting Tomi-he Knife carrying bars, a slide upon, the reciprocating frame, an operative connection between the slide and the knife carrying bars, and meansfor operating the slide ..nd reciprocating frame, the slide moving independently of the reciprocating frame after the latter has reached the limit of: its movement and the pitting knives being thereby caused to pene trate the fruit, the movement of the pins within the cam slots serving to direct the pitting knives whereby they travel in a curved pat-h around the pill.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELIJAH NYSWONGEB. 

